Police search for North Penn High School student after he, classmate allegedly robbed CVS at gunpoint in Lower Bucks County

BRISTOL TOWNSHIP — Police are looking for Anthony David Purnell Jr., 16, of the 200 block of East Mt. Vernon Street, Lansdale, for allegedly robbing a CVS store in Croydon, Bucks County, on June 21.

Two juveniles, both students at North Penn High School, were charged as adults for the gunpoint robbery at the store at 901 Bristol Pike in Croydon, according to police.

“There is an active warrant for Purnell, and as of June 30, he has not yet been apprehended,” said Michele Walsh, chief of the Juvenile Division of the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office. Purnell faces robbery and related charges.

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Lt. Terry Hughes of the Bristol Township police said, “Several attempts have been made to apprehend him … All jurisdictions are aware 9of this.)” He said information about Purnell is in a national database.

Purnell’s alleged accomplice is DeSean Williams, 15, of the 1100 block of Nancy Drive, Croydon, according to police. He was arrested and is in the Bucks County Youth Center awaiting his preliminary hearing on July 30 before Magisterial District Judge Frank Peranteau in Bristol Township, police said.

According to police, Williams threatened a store employee with “serious bodily injury or did put [her] in fear of serious bodily injury.”

Police said that Williams held a loaded handgun at the victim’s head during the robbery. The handgun, a Walther P22, has been recovered.

Williams was taken into custody on June 26. He was charged with robbery in the first degree, conspiracy, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. He is being held in lieu of bail set at 10 percent of $150,000.

Although Williams has a Croydon address, officials at North Penn School District have confirmed that he is a student at the high school. The police learned from school staff that Williams lived just around the corner from the CVS store in Croydon.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, a woman contacted the Bucks County Emergency Communications Center to report two suspicious males inside the CVS store. While on the phone with 911, she reported an armed robbery in progress. The store manager suspected the males were going to rob the store and told the woman to call 911.

The complainant reported that two black males entered the store wearing hooded sweatshirts, sunglasses and one blue latex glove each. The two suspects entered the store and each suspect pulled a handgun and pointed them at the employee and demanded money, according to police.

One suspect was wearing a white and red hooded sweatshirt, red shorts and carrying a blue North Penn backpack, ran behind the counter and forced the employee to open the cash register at gunpoint, according to police.

The suspect then fled the store on foot with the second male suspect. The robbery was captured on video surveillance, which was later provided to police, according to police.

The second male suspect, later identified as Williams, pointed his handgun at a customer in the vestibule and ordered her to move while running out of the store, according to police.

The CVS employee advised police that the same males were in the store two hours prior to the robbery and one was carrying a North Penn blue backpack. This was also captured on video surveillance. Police made still photographs from the surveillance video. The CVS employee believed they were the same males that committed the robbery, according to police.

An area neighbor of Williams had a home video surveillance system installed at his house. Police reviewed the surveillance system from the night of the robbery and observed two males walking from the area of the defendant’s house toward the CVS just prior to the robbery. The same two males were observed running from the area of the CVS store to Williams’ house on Nancy Drive, according to police.

Members of the Bristol Township Detective Division executed a search warrant at the home. Williams was taken into custody for the robbery and his home was searched by detectives.

Williams’ father met police at headquarters. He and his son were advised of their rights and agreed to cooperate without an attorney present.

Williams admitted and told police that he and his friend, Purnell, planned the robbery at the CVS a couple days prior, according to police. Detectives recovered the Walther P22 caliber handgun loaded with six rounds of ammunition from Williams’ bedroom during the search at his house.

Williams said that he had provided his father’s replica pellet handgun to Purnell to use during the robbery, according to police. He explained how he and Purnell went into the CVS store to see how many employees were working and then left and went to his house and changed their clothing. Williams explained the robbery and how he used his handgun to point at employees and customers. Williams said that he and his co-defendant split approximately $300 they stole during the robbery, according to police.

Detectives recovered the clothing worn by the defendants and the handguns. In addition, detectives recovered the blue North Penn backpack from the defendant’s house on Nancy Drive.